List · launch week
Legend of Defenders tier list
The Legend of Defenders hero players rank highest is Zap Dancer, a low-rarity silver unit, ahead of Bog Demon and Moon Blade. Red Rose is the top support and Zeus the top captain. Early in the game, economy picks matter more than any of them. This list sums up players’ opinions from the first week after release, not measured data.
Quick answer
- Best hero: Zap Dancer. Best support: Red Rose.
- Best captain: Zeus.
- Early game: gold and EXP cats plus the Solar Turret.
- Rarity is not strength; one element beats a pile of SSRs.
How is this Legend of Defenders tier list made?
- The game came out on 2 November 2026, so there is no damage data yet. The order comes from the most complete ranking in Steam reviews (62.7 hours played), checked against other reviews and forum threads.
- That ranking was written in Chinese. Where the English name is unclear, the table says so: Name matched means it matches the English roster, Name from an English review is how an English-speaking player names it, Likely match fits the description, Translated, unverified is our translation.
- Tiers are within each group. A hero in tier B is still worth using in the right team; see elements and team comps.
Best Legend of Defenders heroes
| Tier | Hero | Why | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Zap Dancer | Ranked first, "far ahead", in the most complete player ranking. An English review says this low-rarity silver unit does most of their damage. | Name from an English review |
| A | Moon Shadow Assassin (likely Moon Blade) | Second in the same ranking. Moon Blade, a Physical hero, also topped the damage meter in a launch-week video. | Likely match |
| A | Bog Demon | Third in the ranking. A forum player says Bog Demon out-damages Mag Ranger at the same stars and level. | Name matched |
| B | Dragon Mom | Ice summoner; fourth in the ranking. | Name matched |
| B | Mag Ranger | Fifth. Free in the recruit pool, but a player past wave 3,500 says he never needed him in the lineup. | Name matched |
| B | Ice Angel | Sixth. Top rarity, but she needs other [Cold] sources to pay off (developer). | Name matched |
| C | Sky Tribulation Ranger | Last of the seven ranked heroes. | Translated, unverified |
Moon Blade topped the damage meter in a Fire and Ice team even without matching its element.AboboKnows For what each hero does, see all Legend of Defenders heroes.
Best supports
| Tier | Support | Why | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Red Rose | Top support in the ranking. | Name matched |
| A | Drum Cats | Team Attack Speed. Second support in the ranking. | Name matched |
| B | Mad Doctor | Turns teammates’ element to Poison: strong in an all-Poison team, bad for mixed talents. | Name matched |
The developer says support levels matter in builds where supports become the top damage; for a short session, level your main damage dealers first.
Best captain, cannons and towers
| Slot | Pick | Why | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | Zeus | The only captain in the ranking, and a favourite in English reviews. Players say captains carry the long run. | Name matched |
| Cannon 1 | Annihilation beam | Ranked above the Fire dragon cannon. The English name is not confirmed; a launch video calls it an annihilation beam. | Translated, unverified |
| Cannon 2 | Flame dragon cannon (likely Dragon Gun) | Fire cannon. | Likely match |
| Tower 1-3 | Piercing Cloud > Ancient Arrow > Thunder tower | Translated from Chinese; we have not matched them to the English turret list yet. | Translated, unverified |
Captains need their own slot, which opens through the quest book. See captains, turrets and cannons for every one named so far.
What is best in the early game?
A 47-hour player guide puts economy ahead of damage until your first Rift boss:
- Two cats: one adds +20% gold drops, the other +20% EXP. Other reviews call them the Cat Streamer and Cat DJ.
- Solar Turret: +300% gold and EXP, but monsters get +200% HP and Attack. The developers call it a deliberate risk for reward. Players copy it with the Mirror Tower.
- Settings: turn on auto next stage and battle fail rewind, so a failed wave drops you back instead of stopping. See settings and controls.
- Then gear: farm the Red Dragon in the Rift Raid for blue gear with gold-on-kill. More in the equipment guide.
For later waves, players who pass wave 18,000 mostly run Fire teams with gold and EXP gems.
Is rarity the same as strength?
- No. R, S and SSR are rarity. Zap Dancer, the top pick, is a silver unit, and another player has a normal-rarity hero above several SSRs.
- A Chinese review with 63 hours played: SSR heroes are not always the top damage, and early on one element (Fire, Thunder, Poison, Ice or Physical) is stronger.
- The developers built the game around combinations, not placement. Element combos decide more than any single unit.
Legend of Defenders tier list questions
Who is the best hero in Legend of Defenders?
In launch-week player rankings, Zap Dancer. It is a low-rarity silver unit, which shows that rarity is not strength. Bog Demon and Moon Blade come next.
Are SSR heroes the strongest?
Not by default. Players report normal and silver heroes out-damaging SSRs, and recommend building one element first. The developers designed the game around combinations, not single units.
What should I use in the early game?
Economy picks: the two cats that add gold and EXP, and the Solar Turret (more gold and EXP, stronger monsters), copied with the Mirror Tower. Damage dealers matter later, once your levels and gear are up.
Which captain is best?
Zeus in player rankings. Fire teams also use Sun God, and Poison teams Toxic Blood.
Will this tier list change?
Yes. It is based on players’ opinions from the first week after release, not on measured data, and patches can change balance.
Related: all heroes · team comps · captains and turrets